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Addictions

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Homeopathy - Addictive Personalities

The Addictive Personality

Transformational work is not possible for those actively abusing addictive medications, alcohol, or controlled substances. Those suffering from substance abuse problems must become "sober" on a regular basis before they can sustain any in-depth inquiry into their true nature. Abuse and neglect make it almost impossible to develop the sensitivity and attention necessary to observe oneself with any clarity.

Fortunately, there are many resources available to support the addictive personality in breaking free of various forms of addictions, including books, workshops, support groups, therapy, and even inpatient care. The Enneagram is not a substitute for those resources, but combined with them, can be extremely helpful in understanding the roots of the addictive personality.

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Men and addiction

Written by Dr. Ciaran Mulholland, consultant psychiatrist/senior lecturer in mental health

You won't be surprised to learn that the use of addictive drugs of all types is a global problem. What is surprising, however, is that few experts agree on what addiction really is, or what causes it.

Some doctors and healthcare workers view addiction as a disease whereas outside the profession many people think in terms of having an 'addictive personality', and yet the evidence for both concepts is inconclusive. As we will see, our attitude to addiction is just as much shaped by cultural attitudes as by the medical evidence. But before we look at the nature of addiction, and why it affects men more than women, we should remind ourselves of the scale of the problem.

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The Addictive Personality

You may have been told that you, or your drug or alcohol abusing loved one, has an "addictive personality". You possibly have other family members who have fallen into the trap of addiction and, to some, this "genetic" explanation brings relief.

What is an addictive personality? And more importantly, will this classification assist you in saving the addict's life? After all, that is what you are after. An intellectual understanding of the problem, which yet leaves you unable to help, is useless.

The dictionary defines "addictive personality" as one which is "characterized by or susceptible to addiction". Once a person is an addict, their personality is definitely "characterized by addiction". So that does us no good. Regarding susceptibility: What makes one "susceptible to addiction"?

To understand that, we must realize what all drugs (including alcohol, which is a drug) have in common. Drugs are basically pain killers. They kill physical and emotional pain. A person may start using drugs or alcohol to numb pain, leading to addiction. People addicted to prescription pain medication were simply trying to numb pain. To a young person, boredom may be mentally and emotionally painful, and the drugs provide relief and escape from that pain. Being unable to communicate well so as to solve relationship problems can be painful. Stress can be painful. Not to mention losing a loved one.

So pain can make anyone "susceptible to addiction". While an emotional crisis or problem can lead people to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or use other drugs, many researchers believe that a chemical imbalance in the brain is actually responsible for addiction. What makes substances such as cocaine, heroin, alcohol and nicotine so attractive are the pleasurable sensations they create. After a few rounds of artificial stimulation, the brain responds only to the drug instead of to pleasurable events in life. In most cases, the more often you take the drug, the more you need to take to feel pleasure. This leads to addiction—an intense craving and even physical need for the drug. If addicts cannot get the drug, they can become nervous, anxious and even desperate.

Another contributing factor is false information. Nowadays, the idea that everything can be fixed with a pill is widely promoted. A child who is "too active" gets "cured" with a pill (a generation ago parents ensured kids got enough exercise, and waited for them to grow up); headaches get treated with a pill; being in a bad mood has a pill; being shy is "cured" with a drink. And all those substances are touted as safe and non-habit forming! When you suffer from food addiction, you have an overwhelming desire for a particular food. The desire is so strong, in fact, that if you are unable to consume that food, you suffer from withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and depression. Food addicts crave the comfort that a particular food gives them. They also may engage in binge eating. Their cravings for food may be both physical and psychological.

A common falsehood being promoted to youth is that marijuana, for instance, leaves the body in 30 days. Marijuana may not show in a urine analysis several days after use, but its active ingredient, THC, stores in fat tissue. The same is true for other drugs, including prescription drugs. Those drug residues can get mobilize due to stress, physical activity, weight loss, etc. and get back into the blood stream, triggering physical cravings.

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Addictions

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Addictions